Hotels in London continue to boast the highest occupancy rates in Europe, according to a survey published by Deloitte, meaning that if you are planning a trip to England's capital in the near future you are best advised to book in advance rather than leave it to chance.

The November 2007 hotel benchmark survey revealed the occupancy rate for London hotels stood at 86.6 per cent for the year, and that good news for the city's hoteliers was compounded by the revelations from Price Waterhouse Coopers that revenue available per room has risen 33 per cent in the last five years.

Using information from a sample of 3,500 hotels across Europe, the Deloitte benchmark survey is the most extensive performed outside North America. One of the most significant factors identified in the report is that because of the poor performance of the dollar during the year against European currencies, the average room rates were significantly higher than in the previous year. However, as the dollar has started to perform better in international money markets recently, room rates could reduce in real terms for US visitors during 2008.

Although the survey shows that London fills most of its hotel rooms it is not the most expensive city in Europe in which to stay; as that ‘honour' belongs to Paris. The average room rate per night in London during 2007 was calculated at $301, three dollars lower than the average Parisian rate. The third most expensive place to stay in Europe during 2007 was Rome, with the average rate for rooms in the Italian capital recorded at a considerably cheaper $238 per night, slightly ahead of Amsterdam at $228 per night.

But, even though the prices quoted in the survey are the averages per night, as with all statistics they don't tell the whole story. Just as are there are many exclusive five star hotels in London where prices can be much higher than the average rates there are also many that offer excellent value at around $159 per night for comfortable accommodation in the heart of the city.

If you are planning a trip it certainly pays to shop around and do your homework, rather than go for the first London hotel that has a vacancy. There are hundreds of quality hotels in London so there is plenty of choice, and you should be able to find the hotel that is ideal for you and your budget.

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